Sounds like you got the rifle shooting and it was indeed a problem with the gun. I did want to comment on one thing though...the hand loaded ammo you said you were shooting in it. Sounds like the gun is shooting it fine, but just FYI for future...ammo that is loaded and shoots really well in one gun doesn't necessarily mean it will shoot in another gun well. I have guns that shoot certain ammo really well, but when the ammo is put in another gun it will shoot poorly. Obviously you had a different problem going on since it would shoot groups and then POI would change (but still had decent groups), but just wanted to share the above with you for future knowledge. Darn things seem to like what they like and it isn't necessarily always the same thing.